June 11, 2008 – Today was our eighth day of consecutive sun, and I am actually looking forward to the darkness when I get back home! It was a very quiet day for David and I, especially after such a wild adventure in the wilderness with Niels. It felt odd, spending the day relaxing as we waited for our flight, as I realized the last few days were spent among those fighting for survival every single day of their lives. Here I was, about to fly back into more developed territory in awe of the brief experience I had.

We wandered around town, but nearly everything was closed. There was only one big market in town, and there we bought some souvenirs to take home. The airport was just one mile away, but it was elevated 1,000 feet, making the trip to the airport a journey in itself. Thankfully an Upernavik policeman offered to drive us to the airport and we took him up on the ride. As we drove to Qaarsut airport, we could see the same icebergs we had seen when we first landed four days ago. Only this time, there was considerably more action in the water, and I was more trained to notice the ice’s movement.

We flew back to Ilulissat in a clear blue sky, devoid of even a single cloud. We returned to the Hotel Arctic, and since we were there in the early evening it was a perfect opportunity to see more of the town. The town is the third largest in Greenland, with 5,000 residents. Its main industry is fishing for halibut and the town has its share of fisheries and seafood.

There were signs posted for dog sledding routes, even when there was no snow on the ground. It is an odd sight to see these signs everywhere in town, as there’s no seasonal alternative to the signs, but I can only imagine how many dogs there would be in town during the winter! That night we ate at the Hotel Arctic’s fantastic restaurant again; roasted salmon, prawn-shrimp bisque, French pressed coffee, rich ceamy chocolate and blackberry sorbet made for an absolutely delicious meal to wrap up our trip! The soup was really something, and if I am within 500 miles of the Hotel Arctic, I will make sure to come again to order it!

That night as we went to sleep, I noticed an iceberg floating nearby that looks like a warship protecting our igloo over night. It was a surreal sight and made us feel secure that night! We will need the protection and rest as we have a long journey to Iceland tomorrow, with a stop through Nuuk.

Related posts:

1. Greenland – Day Three
2. Greenland – Day Four
3. Greenland – Day Two
4. Greenland – Day Seven
5. Greenland – Day Six
6. Greenland – Day Ten
7. Greenland – Day Nine
8. Greenland- Day Five
9. Greenland – Day One